The Damned – Classic Line Up Performing Together for the First Time Since 1989 in Final Australian Tour

The Damned are the undisputed, unmatched and unassailable living gods of Punk Rock; and for the very first and final time in 35 years they have reassembled the absolute classic line up of the band, recreating the period in their storied career when they were at their peak creativity and the summit of their influence and swagger.

The Damned have always been brilliant in every iteration, but even then, the combination of Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible, Rat Scabies and Paul Gray represents the best of the best of this fabled and trailblazing band and it is this quartet who will shortly grace Australia with their presence to perform the highlights from their seminal albums, Machine Gun Etiquette, The Black Album and Strawberries, as well as fan favourites like ‘Neat Neat Neat’, ‘New Rose’ and more.

“It seemed like the right time. We wanted to do this while we are all still upright, breathing and capable of doing it at a high level and challenge ourselves and each other for the fans. We will play the best of Machine Gun Etiquette, The Black Album and Strawberries album and chuck in all the other classics. Paul’s playing great (just did the Professor and the Madmen album thing with him), as is Captain and Dave’s singing great too so it’s going to be amazing to be back” – Rat Scabies

‘New Rose’ is recognised as the very first single by a punk band, coming out 5 weeks before the Sex Pistols ‘Anarchy In the UK’.  They were also the first British punk band to tour the United States, inspiring the first wave of west coast hardcore  and punk. Their impact on the global punk scene is immeasurable. It’s not often a band gets credit for starting a new genre, let alone three; The Damned were pioneers not only of punk, they also paved the way Goth Rock.